Products providing “smart” functionality or automation such as lighting, blinds, and thermostat control to name a few are rapidly gaining popularity in both home and commercial settings. However, current “smart” products or control systems require onerous installation and/or configuration steps that may provide a barrier to user adoption, limit the number of product features utilized once installed, or reduce the willingness of a user to upgrade or modify product use based on changing needs.
One of the most significant burdens on the user that may limit the willingness of a user to adopt, modify, or upgrade a product may be the physical installation requirements. In many cases, products providing “smart” functionality require a physical connection to one or more building systems such as the mains electrical network or a communication network such as a WiFi network, a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) network, or the like. For example, connecting to the mains electrical network of a building may require, at a minimum, turning off electrical power during installation. Often, however, connecting to a mains electrical network requires additional steps such as adding or modifying electrical boxes to accommodate a product or running new electrical wires to a desired location, which may further require removal and subsequent repair of drywall, repainting, or other finishing steps.
Further, once a product is successfully installed, it must typically be configured to perform desired functions or to integrate with additional products. For example, products may be configured to join a communication network (e.g. to enable monitoring or control). Additionally, products may be configured with contextual awareness (e.g. a lighting product may be configured as “kitchen lights”).
Given these installation and configuration requirements, once a product is physically installed, users may be unwilling to reconfigure, modify, upgrade, or replace products based on changing needs, leading to system stagnation, decreased value to users, or system failures.